Storybook Café: A new chapter for a storied space

Storybook co-owner Mackenzie Killmer with her mom, Vincenza

Natalia Zukerman

Storybook Café: A new chapter for a storied space

PINE PLAINS — “The essence of the people that came before us is still here, but with our spin,” said Mackenzie Killmer, the co-owner of the new Storybook Cafe.

“In my lifetime, I can remember it being the Peppermill, The Mountain Cow, The Platter in different variations, and then Rosey’s. And I just really wanted it to be different,” said Killmer.

Storybook Café is different. It’s light and spacious while still being cozy. But Storybook Café is also, thankfully, the same. While Pine Plains has an impressive amount of very good restaurants, the closing of Rosey’s marked the end of the neighborhood coffeeshop, an integral focal point in a small town.

Killmer has had a lifelong dream of opening such a coffeeshop, but she didn’t think it would be for at least another 10 years. The dream took shape unexpectedly, thanks in part to Jamie, the former owner of Rosey’s. As fate would have it, Jamie offered Killmer and her wife, Jess, a chef at Noble Horizons, the lease for Rosey’s, presenting an opportunity too good to pass up.

Killmer and Jess took the plunge. In just four months, they have transformed the space once again into the new, old neighborhood cafe.

“It’s been less than a year since Jamie and I had that conversation,” Killmer mused, “And we’re, like, up and running, and it’s a thing! I’m exhausted because I’m not a morning person,” she laughed. “But it’s all happening.”

Killmer grew up in Pine Plains, where her family owned the beloved Lia’s Mountain View Café, which closed its doors in December 2023 after over 40 years. “I grew up literally at the Mountain View,” said Killmer. “My playpen was in the pizza room. I got off the school bus there. I was the kid that cried at snow days because that meant I’d spend the whole day at the Mountain View.”

Her experience in restaurants has primed Killmer for this new endeavor, making her more than ready for a dream she didn’t think would be a reality for many years. Open for just two weeks, the bookstore/café already has regulars. In fact, there’s a wall of mugs where people can come in and pick out their favorite, giving them a sense of belonging and home. Starting out with breakfast favorites and the usuals, they’re already expanding into a lunch menu because, said Killmer, “That’s what people want.”

Friends and relatives make up the kind and friendly staff, with Killmer’s mother, Vincenza, “Vinny,” behind the counter. They plan on having Lia’s Mountain View-themed menus in the future.

“We’re easing into it,” Killmer sighed, “But come spring, we’re going to do lots of stuff.”

Killmer spoke excitedly about plans for a children’s storytime, poetry readings, book clubs, trivia nights and local author signings, among other events. They’ve already implemented some wonderful programs. Killmer said, “Starting Feb. 1, every month, we’ll have a local charity and 25% of all book sales will get donated to that charity.” Paperbacks are listed at $8, hardcovers are $10, and children get a free book every time they come in. Said Killmer: “I don’t think kids should pay to read, so they can take a book for free, but they have to read it. And that’s the only rule.”

In just two weeks, Storybook Café has become more than a place to grab a cup of coffee; it’s a testament to lifelong dreams realized, community bonds strengthened, and the enduring magic of books. As the pages of this story continue to unfold, Pine Plains is the lucky recipient of a new favorite spot. Killmer shared her excitement and many plans for the future, but most importantly, she shared, “I just want it to be a neighborhood spot for everyone, a place for people to hang out and feel comfortable.”

Storybook Café is located at 2987 Church St. in Pine Plains. It’s open Wednesday through Monday for breakfast. For more information and to book events, email kenzie@storybook-cafe.com. Follow on Instagram and Facebook @StorybookCafeNY

Latest News

Millerton: $5 million water quality grant

MILLERTON — In what Mayor Jennifer Najdek has described as “a huge bump for us,” New York State has awarded Millerton an Intermunicipal Water Infrastructure Grant (IMG) to fund various projects which continuously monitor and improve local water quality. The size of the grant is a generous $5,082,099, an amount which cannot be exceeded.

The official acceptance of the grant, which is application-based, came together fairly quickly as officials had only one week to decide. With the knowledge looming that grant requests may be bypassed or allocated to other communities without a decision being reached, Millerton leadership aligned after careful consideration at a special meeting held last week, signing off on Nov. 8. With the grant now secured, Najdek is optimistic Millerton can now move forward on pending wastewater concerns like water treatment and stormwater projects, saying “This project has great potential to happen now.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Zoning Review Committee gives four year update on Boulevard District

MILLERTON — The Town of North East discussed the next steps for the Zoning Review Committee during its board meeting on Thursday, Nov. 14.

Edith Greenwood, committee chair and vice chair of the North East Zoning Board of Appeals, joined the Town Board meeting to share what the committee has completed in the last four years.

Keep ReadingShow less
Lights going up
Photo by Jennifer Kronholm Clark

Holiday lights went up last week in Millerton in preparation for the Thanksgiving weekend Festival of Lights.

Violet Simmons: ‘A remarkable woman’

Edward Downey, left, president of the North East Historical Society with Ralph Fedele, president of the Friends of the Irondale Schoolhouse, at the Society’s Annual meeting at the NorthEast-Millerton Library Annex on Saturday, Nov. 16. Downey presented a lifetime membership in the society to Fedele in recognition of his work in preserving the area’s history. Downey noted, “Ralph Fedele is a force of nature, filled with ideas and energy.”

Photo provided by North East Historical Society

MILLERTON — For most teachers the capacity to influence students ends as they walk out the classroom doors and the teacher clears the board for the final time before moving into retirement.

That was not the case, however, for Violet Simmons, whose impact on the community and the world continued well after she completed her 48 years of service in schools throughout North East.

Keep ReadingShow less